Restraining device



Dec. 13, 1938. L Q YQKUM RESTRAINING DEVICE lFiled Nov. l9, 1936. 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Inventor By @www Dec. 13, 1938.

.1, c. YOKUM 2,l39,710

RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 /67 79 Inventor 76km c Yang,

Attorneys Dec. '13, 1938. 1 C, YQKUM 2,139,710

RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 19256 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 9 7' /f Inventor j v JA C )7o/bum RESTRAINING DEVIC E Filed NO v. 19, 1936 '7 SheeLs-Shee(l 5 Dec. 13, 19348.

.1. c. lYOKUM RESTRAINING' DEVICE Filed NOV. 19, 1956 29h @Y0/runv Bybsgu HM.;

'7 Sheets-Sharedl 6 Attorneys HJ. HN IHM-H. Vx UQ Uni* un 1 uuu. u" ,wir

Dec. 13, 1938. 1, C. YOKUM 2,139,710

RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Inventor gfar f. yar/52u77?,

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A torneys Patented Dec. 13, 1.938

UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE 6 Claims.

This, invention. isla device forsosecuring or restraining :livestock as to facilitate branding, dehorning and other. operations pertaining to the handling ,of livestock.

rIhe invention-comprehends the provision of aA combined headv stanchions andbody. squeezeas Will render ,Aan animal helpless .to the end that theidesiredoperation. may be performed on the animal.

V:The invention togetherwith its objects and advantages will 1bebest understood from astudy of the following description taken in `connection with; the., accompanying :drawings Wherein .Figure lisa front elevational view of the -device.

FigureZ isa rearelevational View thereof.

Figure isatop plan view of `the device.

II igureflhisa detail sectional View taken substantially on .the lines 4- 40f Figure 3 V Figure-,5 vis a horizontal` sectional view taken substantially on AthelirieS--Snof Figure l.

figure .6. is,a;;rf raementary topplan view showing Vacable and pulley assembly for vuse in drawing y the body squeeze Y members into contact f with the` bodyvofgthe animal.

Figure 7 .is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line'l-I of Figure 3.

4Figure 8 is a perspective view cfa hook member.

YFigure 9 is a detail sectional viewtaken substantially on the 1inev9- 9 of Figure 10.

l Figure 10 is a fragmentary side viewillustrating certain details. hereinafter more fully refe'rred to. Y

,Figure 11 is an elevational view of one of the body squeeze members. l

Figure 12 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line I2-I2 of Figure l1.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary top plan View showing the manner of releasably securingthe chains cfa body squeeze member to the top edge of said member.

v Figure 14 is a detail sectional view taken substantially ony the line I4-I4 of Figure 3.

Figure 15 is a view ysimilar to Figurell `but showing the hook and chain in a released position.

Figure 16 is a side elevational view of a hook forming part of the invention.

Referring to the `drawings by reference vnumerals itwill vbe lseen Vthat in the preferred embodiment thereof the restraining ydevice Vcomprisesa skeleton'frame structure 5 Whichmay bepfany suitableconstruction. Howeverin'the present instance ythe 7frame structure 5 isv shown as.- oussiieg: 0f .fQur .fuprights arranged in the form of a rectangleand connected at their upper and lower ends byhorizontal `bars 1, 8, 9, I0, II, I2, I3 and kIA--IIL Mounted between the front posts 6 as shown in:Figure 5, is an angle bar I 5 to which is secured a relatively na-rrowfloor board I6. At the rear of the device the oor board I6 is also secured to `a .crossbar I'l .supported between the lower ends .of the rear standards 6. lPreferably the floor .board AI6 is of a width to just barely accommodate the feet of the animal. f

Entrance into the restraining device is through the rear of the device. At the rear of the device there are provided a pair of complemental door or closure .members I8.

As shown in Figure2 the door or closure members vI8 consist of strips of woodof suitable width secured together through the medium of reinforcing plates `I9v riveted or-otherwise secured to the wood strips as clearly shown.

At the upper end thereof the door or closure members I8 are. .pivoted as at 20 to .brackets 2| that depend from the frame member Ill.

The door. members I8 are normally urged into substantial parallelism with one another, which is a substantially closed position, through the mediumlofa coil spring 22 suitably anchored at its respective oppositeV ends to the door members as best shown in Figure 4.

vThe door members I8 swing in vertical planes between a horizontal bar 23 secured'to the rear uprights 6 anda guide bar 24 having nturned ends riveted ory otherwise secured to the bar 23 as at 24. (See Figure 3.)

Operating means for the doors I8 consist of acable.,25 which has its respective opposite ends secured to the doors I8 as at 26 and trained over lpulleysf2'l mounted in suspension brackets depending'from Athe bar 23. Secured toan intermediate portionof the cable 25 is a pullstring or vthelilre 28.

rv'Fromtheabove it will be seen that when a pull is exerted on the-member 28 doors I8 against thev action of spring 22 will swing vertically about their 1pivotsa20 away from one another to permit an animal to pass therebetween and into the restraining device, the animal stepping on to the floor board I6. Upon release of the pull on the member4 28Y spring, 22 will act to return the door members I8 to a closed position behind the animal. y y' At the front thereof the restraining device is provided with a pair of complemental narrow doorsr29 which-aremounted to swingv vertically relatiyeltor-one another, the doors being ,pivoted at their upper ends as at 39 to brackets 3i that depend from a front cross member l as shown in Figure 1.

The doors 29 are also urged inwardly towards one another and into closing position through the medium of a spring 32 the opposite ends of which are suitably anchored to the doors 29.

Doors 29 swing vertically between a front cross bar 33 that is secured to the front uprights G and a guide bar 34 the opposite ends of which are turned inwardly and riveted or otherwise secured to the bar 33 as at 35 and as clearly shown in Figure 3.

Intermediate their respective upper and lower ends the doors 29 are notched or otherwise complementarily formed to provide a head receiving opening or aperture 36 bordered by metallic reinforcing plates 3?, 38.

An operating means for the doors 29 consists of a cable 39 the relatively opposite ends of which are secured to the doors 29 as at 49, and are also trained over suitably mounted pulleys 4i mounted on brackets depending from the bar 33. The looped end or intermediate portion of the cable 39 is trained through an apertured cleat or lug 132 provided intermediate the ends of a hand lever d3 which is pivoted at one end as at 44 to one of the front posts 6 as shown in Figure 1.

Thus it will be seen that as the animal enters the device through the rear thereof the operator by pressing downwardly on the lever 43 will cause the doors 29 to swing apart so as to permit the head of the animal to extend outwardly between the doors 29 so that the neck of the animal will be received within the opening 39 as the doors 29 return to a closed position. Thus it will be seen that the doors 29 as constructed serve as a head stanchion for restraining the animal.

For releasably securing the doors 29 in the closed position or position shown in Figure l there is provided a latch member 45 pivoted to a lower portion of one of the doors 29 as at 49 and engageable with a xed keeper lll mounted on the lower portion of the other door 29. The latch member 45 is so pivoted as to normally swing in a clockwise direction to engage the head thereof with the keeper 4l. To facilitate swinging the latch member l5 in a counterclockwise direction to release the head of the latch member there is provided a pull string 48 secured at one end to the free end of the latch member 45 and at an opposite end suitably secured to a vertical frame member 49 that extends between the upper aforementioned cross bar 33 and a lower cross bar 53 which latter is secured to the front standards 9 upwardly from the lower ends of the standards.

In connection with the bar 59 it will be noted that the lower ends of the doors 29 work between an intermediate portion of the bar 59 and a guide bar 5| the opposite ends of which are inturned and riveted or otherwise secured as at 52 to the bar 50 (see Figure 5).

The bars 34 and 59 will also serve to prevent the doors 29 being forced forwardly by any thrust exerted thereon by the animal.

The Idoors 29 below the opening 36 have projecting forwardly therefrom brackets 53 which support on their upper ends rests 54 upon which the animal places his nose or snoot. Brackets 53 are braced with respect to the doors 29 through the medium of suitable brace rods 55.

For maintaining the nose or snoot of the animal on the rests 54 there is provided a length of chain or the like 59 one end portion of which is adapted to be suitably engaged with a hook 51 mounted on one of the brackets 53. Hook 51 has the bill portion thereof bifurcated to provide a Slot 53 to permit of an engagement of a portion of the chain 59 therewith in a manner as clearly suggested in Figure 7.

At its relatively opposite end chain 55 is connected as at 59 with one end o1" a lever 69. Also, an intermediate portion of the chain is covered by a sheathing Gl of rubber, cloth, or other suitable material. It will thus be seen that with one end of the chain suitably engaged with the hook 57 the sheathed portion of the chain is placed across the top of the nose of the animal after which one end of the lever 99 is engaged, in a manner clearly shown in Figure 7, with the bracket 53 and a downward pressure by the operator exerted on the lever 69 for placing the chain 55 under tension and thereby maintaining the nose of the animal on the rests 5d.

As a further restraining means for the animal there is provided a lever 92 that adjacent one end thereof is pivoted as at 63 to a bracket 64 suitably mounted on one of the doors 29. At the pivoted end thereof, lever 92 is connected with one end of a cable 65 that is trained over a pulley 96 suitably mounted on said one door 29 and connected with a spring 5'1 anchored to one of the plates 38 as at 38. Thus it will be seen that the spring El will normally act to urge the lever 62 to swing vertically upwardly and in a counterclockwise direction.

The lever 32 is adapted to be brought down over the neck of the animal to lock the head of the animal in the opening 39. To secure the lever G2 in the animal restraining position there is provided on the other door 29 a diagonally disposed keeper bar S9 that is provided with a series of notches l@ as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3 and with which the lever 62 is selectively engaged as is thought apparent.

For placing the body of the animal at opposite sides of the body under pressure and in a manner to restrain the animal from shifting laterally from one side to the other and off of the floor board i9 there are provided a pair of oppositely disposed body squeeze members il.

' Referring particularly to Figures l1 and 12 it will be seen that each of the members 'H comprises a substantially rectangular frame 'i2 that has disposed across the lower edge thereof a plate 'i3 and a channel bar lil secured to the upper edge of the plate i3.

rhe top flange of the channel i4 is provided with a series of relatively spaced openings I5 which receive eye bolts 76 equipped with jam nuts ll.

The chains "i8 at one end have links engaged with the eyes of the bolts 'i6 as shown in Figures 11 and 12 while at their upper or free ends the chains "i8 are provided with rings 79.

Referring to Figures 13 to 16 inclusive, it will be seen that frame l2 above the bar 'i4 is provided with a bar la to which, for each of the chains lil, there is secured a substantially U- shaped member 89 between the sides of which is pivoted as at 3l one end of a substantially L- shaped hook 32. The hook 32 is trained through a ring 'i9 on the free end of the chain 'I8 in a manner, when the hook 82 is swung from the position shown in Figure 15 to the position shown in Figure 14 to exert an upward pull on the chain 'I8 for placing the latter under tension.

It will be understood that the chains 'I8 are ends of upper and lower bars 88, 88.

provided to exert a yielding pressure against .the adjacent side of the body of the animalY and where `it isdesired to relieve the tension yof one or more chains against the side of the animal the hooks 82 `for those chains are swung to .the position shown in Figure 15. Release of tension on oneA or `more chains may be ,required when. it is desired to sprea-d the chains apart, for example, to'apply a branding iron to the side of the vanimal or for any one of several diierent reasons.

Also, each of the members 1| has secured to opposite sides of the frame 12 atthe lower end of the frame strapsA 83 the free ends of which depend beyond the lower end of theframe and are pivoted as at 84 to the bottom frame vmembers I0 and I3.

The members 1I are yieldably urged .to swing laterally away from one another through the medium of suitably provi-ded springs 85.

For drawing the members 1| inwardly toward one'another and into engagement with the sides of the animal there are provided cables 86 which at one end are suitably secured to the frames of themembers 1| and at their free ends are trained over double pulleys 81 supported between the Bar 88 extends between iront and rear bars 89 that are secured to the corner member 6 and at one end project laterally of the device as suggested inFigure 3. Bar 88 extends between and is supported by front bar 33 and rear bar 23.

`At the ends thereof trained over the pulleys 81v the cables 89 are connected together in pairs as at 90.

lFor each pair of cables 88 there is provided a pull cable 9|.

As best shown in Figure 6 the cables 9| atone end are trained over double pulleys`92 suitably mounted between intermediate portion of the bars 88, 88' and respectively connected' with the pairs of cables 86 as--at 93.

The cables 9| extend laterally toward one side of the device where they are trained over a pulley 94 mounted on a bracket secured to a bar 95 that connects the free ends of the aforementioned bars 89.

At the last mentioned ends thereof, the cables 9| are connected together and to a strap 96 'that is in turn secured to a lever 91.

Lever 91 is pivoted at one end as atr 98 to a bar 99 that extends between the aforementioned bar 95 and a bar |00 that connects one end of the front and rear bars 50, IOI. (See Figures l0, 2 and 1.)

The bar 99 parallels a vertical bar 99a that extends between the bars 95 and |09. Between bars 99 and 99a is a diagonal bar |02 that is provided with a series of relatively spacedbolts |03 on which are confined. between the bar |02 and individual washers |04 sleeves |05.

Thus it will be seen that to draw the members 1I inwardlytoward one another into engagement with the sides of the animal a downward pull is exerted on the lever 91. This will result in the members 1| being drawn inwardly toward one another against the action of springs 85, and the members 1| are then secured'in proper pressure contact with the body of the animal by engaging the lever 91 under one of the sleeve covered bolts |03 as will be clear from a study of Figure The utility and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following:-

As previously stated the animal enters the device through the rear thereof, the operator caus- I8 to be swung to an open position by pulling on the pull cord 28. As the animal passes into the device and moves across the narrow floor board I6 the head of the animal is passed through. the opening'36 provided in'. the front doors Y29. In this connection it will be understood that normally the rod 62 under action ofY spring S1 will be in a substantially vertical position engaging a stop |06 suitably provided therefor on one of the doors 29.

With the head of the animal thrust through the opening 36 bar 62 is swung downwardly against .the action of spring 61 across the back of the neck of the animal and engaged with a proper notch ing'the doors 10 in the bar 69 to secure the head of the animal against being drawn back inwardly through the opening 36. Next, the chain 58 with one end thereof properly engaged with the hook 51 has the sheathed portion 6| thereof passed over the top of the nose of the animal to press the nose into engagement with the rests.54. Onel end of the lever is then engaged with a bracket 53y and pressure, by the operator, is maintainedvon the lever 60 Ato hold the nose of the animal engaged with the rests 54.

The animal is next restrained againstside movement or sway by pulling on the lever 91 which will cause the members 1I against the action of springs 85 to move inwardly into pressure contact with the sides of the body of the animal. In this connection it will be -noted that the plates 13 of the members 1I clear the floorboardy I6 as clearly shown in Figure 4 so as to permit these plates to come in contact with the legsof the animal forcing the legs of the animal inwardly and precluding the animal from stepping oir of the platform or iloor board I8 at either side of the latter. Thus the animal is held ina fully restrained condition so that a dehorning operation, branding operation or other analagousoperation may be performed on the animal quickly and expeditiously vand without danger to any of the attendants.

After the desired operation has beeny performed lever 91 is released permitting the side members -f Lever 62 is also released lto swing back to an out of the way position Aunder action of spring 61 while lever 60 is likewise released to permit the animal to move its nose from off the rest 54. pass from the device the operator next,r bypullf ing on the string 48 unlatches the doors29 and then by pulling downwardly on the lever 43 causes the doors 29 to swing apart to permit the` animal to pass out of the restraining device.

Also the frame structure includes. a vertical bar 49a that extends between one end of upper rear cross-bar 23 and lower rear cross-bar IOI; bars 49, 49a, respectively, extending upwardly beyond the respective cross-bars 33 and 23 and at the upper ends thereof being riveted to the free 1| to spread apart.

ends of bars 89. Also Vincluded in the frame structure is an upper side bar 95' that extends between and connects bars 23 and 33; and a lower bar 95a that extends between and connects bars 50 and |0| as best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:-

1. A restraining device for livestock comprising a skeleton frame structure, a relatively nar- To permit the animal to t row ooring' member mounted in said structure and extending from the front to the rear thereof, a pair of door members pivotally suspended from the top of the frame structure at the rear 0f the latter and movable inwardly towards one another to a closed position substantially in alignment with said oor member, a pair of doors pivotally suspended from the top of said frame structure at the iront of the latter and movable inwardly towards one another to a closed position in substantial alignment with said floor member, said last mentioned doors being formed intermediate their ends to provide an opening to receive the head of an animal within the restraining device, cooperating means on the last mentioned door members engageable with the head of an animal to prevent withdrawal of the head of the animal inwardly of the device through said opening, body squeeze members pivoted Within said frame structure at opposite sides of said ilooring for movement inwardly towards one another' into pressure engagement with the sides of the animal, and means for moving said squeeze members inwardly into engagement with the body of the animal and for securing said members in the desired pressure-contact with the body of the animal to restrain the animal against lateral shifting movement,

2. A restraining device for livestock comprising a skeleton frame structure, are relatively narrow ilooring member mounted in said structure and extending from the front to the rear thereof, a pair of door members pivotally suspended from the top of the frame structure at the rear of the latter and movable inwardly towards one another to a closed position substantially in alignment with said floor member, a pair of doors pivotally suspended from the top of said frame structure at the front of the latter and movable inwardly towards one another to a closed position in substantial alignment with said iloor member, said last mentioned doors being formed intermediate their ends to provide an opening to receive the head of an animal within the restraining device, cooperating means on the last mentioned door members engageable with the head of an animal to prevent withdrawal of the head of the animal inwardly of the device through said opening, body squeeze members pivoted within said frame structure at opposite sides of said iiooring for movement inwardly towards one another into pressure engagement with the sides oi the animal, and means for moving said squeeze members inwardly into engagement with the body of the animal and for securing said members in the desired pressure contact with the body of the animal to restrain the animal against lateral shifting movement, said last mentioned doors being also provided with complemental rests projecting forwardly therefrom to accommodate the nose of the animal, and a restraining device associated with said rests for releasably securing the nose of the animal in position on said rests.

3. An animal restraining' device as set out in claim 1 and wherein each of said squeeze members comprises a frame, a pair of spaced bars supported in the frame between opposed members of the frame, and a plurality of chain members extending between said bars.

4. An animal restraining device as set out in claim 1' and wherein each of said squeeze members comprises a frame, upper and lower bars supported in the frame between opposed members of the frame, a plurality of chain members extending between said bars, means adjustably connecting one end of the chains with the lower one of said bars, said vchains having free ends provided with rings, and hooks pivotally mounted on the upper one of said bars and engaging said rings for connecting the free ends of the chains with the upper one of said bars.

5. In an animal restraining device of the character described, a pair of pendant swingable members having intermediate portions provided to present therebetween an opening to receive the head and neck .of an animal, a lever adapted to extend across said opening and over the neck of the animal to retain the head of the animal against withdrawal through said opening, said lever being pivoted adjacent one end to one of said pendant members, a bar secured to the other of said pendant members and provided with a longitudinal series of notches, and said lever having a free end adapted to be engaged with a selected one of the notches for releasably retaining the bar in engagement across the neck of the animal, and a spring device connected with the lever adjacent the pivoted end of the latter for normally urging the lever to swing upwardly in a counterclockwise dir ction; and coacting latch means on said pendant swingable members for releasably securing said members in substantial parallelism one with the other and against relative swinging movement.

6. In a restraining device of the character described, a pair of pendant members swingable in a vertical plane toward and away from one another, said members being formed to provide an opening for receiving the head and neck of an animal, latch means associated with said members for securing the members releasably against separation, brackets projecting forwardly from said members, rests cn said brackets to accommodate the nose of the animal, one of said brackets having a member projecting therefrom, a chain engageable with said projecting member at a selected point in the length of said chain, and a handle operatively connected to one end of said chain, said handle adapted to have one end thereof brought into bearing engagement with the other of said brackets whereby, upon a downward swinging movement of said handle, said chain may be drawn taut across the nose of the animal on said rests.

JOHN C. YOKUM. 

